Combustion pump{13 gas turbine system

ABSTRACT

A combustion pump system for the high pressure pumping of liquids comprising a plurality of casings, a free piston slidably disposed within each of said casings for reciprocal movement between an upper combustion chamber and a lower hydraulic chamber defined therein, a liquid input line connected to the hydraulic chamber of each casing, each free piston being adapted to be raised from its related hydraulic chamber toward its related combustion chamber by admission of liquid into said hydraulic chamber through the input line connected thereto, a liquid output line connected to each hydraulic chamber, means for each casing to introduce a fuel-air mixture into the combustion chamber of the casing and for igniting the same therein to drive the free piston downwardly and forcibly discharge liquid therebeneath from the hydraulic chamber through said output line, said liquid output lines being interconnected to form a single liquid discharge line, and control means adapted to sequentially integrate the reciprocal movement cycles of said free pistons to provide a substantially continuous liquid output from said discharge line; TURBINE ROTOR MEANS COMPRISING A DRIVE NOZZLE, SAID DISCHARGE LINE BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID NOZZLE TO THEREBY DRIVE SAID TURBINE ROTOR MEANS; AND AN EXHAUST LINE INTERCONNECTING EACH COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH A GAS TURBINE AND ADAPTED TO CONVEY THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION FROM EACH SUCH COMBUSTION CHAMBER TO A GAS DISCHARGE NOZZLE AT SAID GAS TURBINE DURING THE COURSE OF UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FREE PISTON ASSOCIATED WITH SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Eric A. Sale 15898 Via Pinale, SanLorenzo, Calif. 94580 [21 1 Appl. No. 49,283

[22] Filed June 24, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 [54] COMBUSTIONPUMl -GAS TURBINE SYSTEM 2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

Primary Examiner-Douglas Hart Assistant Examiner-Warren OlsenAttorney-Naylor and Neal ABSTRACT: A combustion pump system for the highpressure pumping of liquids comprising a plurality of casings, a freepiston slidably disposed within each of said casings for reciprocalmovement between an upper combustion chamber and a lower hydraulicchamber defined therein, a liquid input line connected to the hydraulicchamber of each casing, each free piston being adapted to be raised fromits related hydraulic chamber toward its related combustion chamber byadmission of liquid into said hydraulic chamber through the input lineconnected thereto, a liquid output line connected to each hydraulicchamber, means for each casing to introduce a fuelair mixture into thecombustion chamber of the casing and for igniting the same therein todrive the free piston downwardly and forcibly discharge liquidtherebeneath from the hydraulic chamber through said output line, saidliquid output lines being interconnected to form a single liquiddischarge line, and control means adapted to sequentially integrate thereciprocal movement cycles of said free pistons to provide asubstantially continuous liquid output from said discharge line;

turbine rotor means comprising a drive nozzle, said discharge line beingin communication with said nozzle to thereby drive said turbine rotormeans; and

an exhaust line interconnecting each combustion chamber with a gasturbine and adapted to convey the products of combustion from each suchcombustion chamber to a gas discharge nozzle at said gas turbine duringthe course of upward movement of the free piston associated with saidcombustion chamber.

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720 6 Mi i ATWKNEVS COMBUSTION PUMP-GAS TURBINE SYSTEM This applicationis a division of my copending application, Ser. No. 773,000, filed Nov.4, 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,560,115 and entitled THREE ELEMENT COMBINEDENERGY CYCLE.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AS requirements for electrical powerincrease, new and different means of powering electric generators arerequired to satisfy the variety of conditions under which a plant mustoperate to produce cheap electrical power. The system of the invention,when utilized in combination with a generator provides an competitivemeans of producing electrical power. Although the system may be employedfor other uses, its primary use is for the production of electricalpower.

Power plants of conventional design often have certain limitations whichcurtail their efficiency under certain operating conditions. Nuclear andother thermal plants have large water requirements for cooling whichnecessitate location of the plants near large water supplies.Conventional hydraulic plants also depend on a continuous supply ofwater, and are further limited by the necessity of locating plants wherenatural water heads occur. Additional problems of atmospheric or thermalpollution afi'ect a determination of the plant design for a particularlocation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention disclosed and claimed in myaforementioned copending application, Ser. No. 773,000 in its basic formcan most aptly be described as a combustion pump. Fuel is principallyconverted to hydraulic energy in the form of pumped fluid at extremelyhigh pressures. To raise the overall efficiency of the energy cycle thecombustion products are further utilized to drive a conventional gasturbine. It is with this latter operation that the present invention isparticularly concerned.

The system, herein disclosed, has been adapted to power an electricgenerator for which it is primarily suitable. A high pressurecylindrical casing contains a piston which is freely slidable in aninner cylindrical sleeve of the casing. A combustion chamber is definedby the top of the free piston, the casing sleeve and a hemisphericalcylinder head. A mixture of fuel and air may be compressed in thecombustion chamber by a variety of conventional methods. However, toattain the extremely high pressures desired in the pump unit, a methodsimilar to that employed in certain diesel engines is preferred. Withthe piston at a top position, fuel and air are simultaneously injectedat high pressure into the combustion chamber.

Below the free piston a hydraulic chamber is defined by the bottom ofthe free piston, the casing sleeve and a hemispherical lower portion ofthe casing. The free piston, which is mechanically contained in thecylindrical casing only by action of the sides of the piston against thecasing sleeve, is raised to the top position by admission of water froma conventional water supply. Once the piston reaches the top deadposition by the hydraulic lift from admitted water, the supplied wateris valved off.

With fuel and air injected, the unit commences its power stroke when thegas mixture is ignited. The high pressure developed by the combustedgases is transmitted through the piston to the water in the hydraulicchamber. The high pressure water is bled through discharge lines to adischarge nozzle which emits an extremely high velocity water jet to animpulse-type hydraulic turbine. Although a single hydraulic turbine maycomprise the sole power output of the combustion pump, the efi'iciencyof the energy cycle may be raised considerably by employing a threestage output.

As the water is discharged, the free piston descends in the cylindricalcasing. The descending piston permits the combustion gases to expand inthe enlarged combustion chamber thereby causing an accompanying loss inpressure which is transmitted to the water in the hydraulic chamber.Since hydraulic turbine design varies according to the velocity and flowof the drive fluid to obtain an efficient power output, it enhances theoverall efficiency of the combustion pump to employ two separatehydraulic turbines to effectively handle the wide pressure rangeencountered during operation of the pump. A first turbine is supplied bywater at the initial high pressures immediately subsequent tocombustion. As the pressure transmitted to the water drops to a selectedterminal pressure below which the first turbine would not be drivenefi'iciently, the supply to the first turbine ceases upon automaticclosing of a regulator valve and the supply to the second turbinecommences. This first terminal pressure may, for example, be 1,000 psi.

Water is supplied to the second hydraulic turbine through a dischargenozzle such as is utilized for the first turbine until the velocity-flowrelationship of the emitted jet no longer efficiently drives theturbine. A second regulator valve terminates the water supply at arelated second terminal pressure of the water in the hydraulic chamberwhich in the disclosed embodiment is selected at 200 psi. At the secondterminal pressure, the water contained in the hydraulic chamber has beensubstantially discharged to either the first or second hydraulicturbines.

In accordance with the present invention, to additionally increase theoverall operating efi'lciency of the combustion pump, the combustionproducts are exhausted to a gas turbine comprising a third stage outputfor the cycle. The combustion products continue to drive the gas turbineuntil expansion of the combustion products nears completion. At anappropriate pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure, water is againadmitted to the hydraulic chamber raising the free piston to the topdead position and scavenging any remaining combustion products in thecombustion chamber. An exhaust valve automatically closes uponpositioning the piston at the top of its stroke and the combustion pumpis again ready to commence another cycle.

The two hydraulic turbines and the gas turbine may be appropriatelycoupled together to drive an electric generator. Although a gearedcoupling will in all likelihood be necessary to accommodate thediffering speeds of the turbines corresponding to their most efficientoperation, the turbines are schematically disclosed in the drawings asdirectly coupled for simplicity of description.

To provide a relatively continuous output to each of the three outputstages, a plurality of individual units are integrated and controlled bya central cam-operated timing device. For instance, sequentialcoordination of three units would operate to supply the discharge nozzlefor a single first hydraulic turbine with high pressure water from thesecond unit once the high pressure supply from the first unit ceased.sequentially, high pressure water from the third unit would be suppliedonce pumped waterfrom the second unit ceased. Similarly, for the secondhydraulic turbine and gas turbine the respective fluids could besupplied in a substantially continuous manner to thereby furtherincrease the efficiency of a power plant.

A power plant utilizing the subject system contains many advantages overa plant utilizing either conventional reciprocal combustion engines orconventional steam generators for driving steam turbines. The systemcombustion pump contains far fewer moving parts than a conventionalreciprocal combustion engines. An additional contributing factor toprolonging continuous operation is the low cycle frequency which alsoenables use of cheaper fuels than those necessary for high speedreciprocal combustion engines. The free-piston design permitsconstruction of large units not attainable by the conventionalreciprocal engines.

These large units are cost-competitive with the larger steam-electricpower equipment and yet have certain distinct advantages over suchequipment. Since steam is not utilized to a significant extent in any ofthe three output stages in the subject combustion pump, starting andstopping times are of very short duration. In conventional steam powerequipment, a substantial amount of energy is lost in the change of stateinvolved when turbine steam is condensed, the loss corresponding to thelatent heat of steam. Such energy losses greater limit the overallefficiency of steam power equipment.

The system combustion pump when employed in an electric power plant hasadditional advantages over conventional steam power equipment with whichthe invented device is particularly competitive. The comparative lowretention time of the combustion products in the combustion pumpinhibits the agglomeration of fuel minerals into particulates of thelightscattering size range and minimizes the formation of visibleemissions, thereby resulting in less objectionable emissions of productsof combustion than in conventional steam power plants. Also, thermalpollution, common in conventional thermal or nuclear plants, issubstantially reduced as the water cooling requirements are only afraction of the requirements for conventional plants. This advantagealso pennits location of the power plant utilizing combustion pumps tobe convenient to the load rather than to cooling water. It alternatelyenables the subject power plant to be readily and cheaply integratedinto existing hydraulic generating stations to provide fuel generatoroutput during periods of curtailed water supply.

Since high temperature metallurgy problems are confined to the gasturbine which contributes only a relatively small portion of the totaloutput of the combustion pump, manufacturing and maintenance costs aredrastically reduced. Use of hydraulic power as the prime mover tooperate the electric generator greatly reduces starting warmup andpermits practically instantaneous adjustment to load changes over thefull output range of the combustion pump. These and other advantageswill become apparent from a detailed consideration of the drawings andaccompanying specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration ofa three unit combustion pump-turbine system constructed in accordancewith the teachings of the present invention powering an electricgenerator.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a typical pump unit in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial section taken on lines 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial section of the throat and flow valve shownin FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5-5 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial view of the liner and outer casing shownin FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partial section showing the surface of the liner taken alongthe lines 77 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the discharge nozzle shown in FIG. I.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the three unit pump and timingcontrol system.

FIG. 10 is a sequence chart illustrating the sequence of operations forthe three unit pump shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates a detailedschematic of the basic elements in a three unit combustion pumparrangement incorporating the teachings of the present invention for usein a power plant. The combined chamber units, unit 1, unit 2 and unit 3,deliver a three-stage output to a combination turbine 10 that is coupledto an electric generator 12. The first stage output of the combinedunits is a high velocity water discharge delivered to a first hydraulicturbine 14. The second stage output is a lower velocity water dischargedelivered to a second hydraulic turbine 16, which may be connected tothe first hydraulic turbine 14 by a shaft 18. The two hydraulic turbinesl4 and 16 may be of the impulse type and each is of conventional designfor handling the respective velocity and flow of water discharge foreach output stage. The third stage output comprises a gas discharge ofthe combustion products of the three units. The gas discharge drives agas turbine 20 coupled to hydraulic turbines 14 and 16 by the commonshaft 18. The combined rotational output of the three turbines 14, 16and 20 powers the electric generator 12.

The three-stage output is developed by a novel combustion engine, whichis the subject of my copending application, Ser. No. 773,000, and whichoperates most efiiciently when three identical chamber units are coupledin sequence to provide a continuous output at each of the three outputstages. For simplicity of description the elements of each of the threeidentical units will be designated by the same numerals on each unit.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, each chamber unit has a cylindricalhigh-pressure casing 22 in which a free-floating piston 24 is encased.The cylindrical casing is capped with a cylinder head 26 fastened to thecylindrical casing 22 by a peripheral series of bolts extending througha flange 30 on the cylindrical casing and a flange 32 on the cylinderhead 26. At one side of the free-floating piston is a combustion chamber34 formed by the cylindrical casing 22, the cylinder head 26, and thefree-floating piston 24. I

At the opposite side of the free-floating piston 24 is a hydraulicchamber 36 formed by the cylindrical casing 22, a hemispherical endportion 38 of the cylindrical casing, and the free-floating piston 24.

Water is introduced to the hydraulic chamber through a water input line40 under a moderate pressure common to water supply lines. The moderatepressure of introduced water rises the free-floating piston 24 until thepiston reaches an annular stop 42 formed by an overlap of the cylinder26 at the juncture of head 26 and casing 22, as shown in FIG. 2. Thehydraulic raising of the free-floating piston 24 scavcnges residualcombustion gases in combustion chamber 34, forcing the residual gasesout exhaust discharge line 41.

The water surge produced by the sudden stoppage of the free-floatingpiston 24 against the annular stop 42 releases a spring-latched reliefvalve 44 in a hydraulic control line 46 shown in FIG. 2. Water frominput line 40 flows through hydraulic control line 46 to a hydraulicactuator 48, FIG. 2, closing exhaust valve 50 in the combustion chamber34. The hydraulic actuator 48 comprises a conventional arrangement ofcylinder 52 and piston 54 hydraulically operated by control lines 46 and56 connected to the cylinder 52 at each side of the piston 54.

The lowered pressure sensed in exhaust manifold 58 by a pressure sensingline 60 closes a pressure-operated valve 62 in the water input line 40.

With the exhaust valve 50 closed and the free-floating piston 24 at itsraised position, the unit, typically unit 2 in FIG. 1, is set for thecombustion process. Simultaneously, air and liquid fuel are injected athigh pressures into the combustion chamber. Fuel from a high pressurefuel line 64 is injected into the combustion chamber through afuel-injection noule 66 shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. The tip 68of the fuel-injection nozzle 66 contains four small holes 70 to dispersethe discharged fuel in a fine spray. Air from a high-pressure air supplyline 72 is injected into the combustion chamber 34 at a' point adjacentfuel injection. To assist in the full and uniform dispersion of thefuel, a cupola 74, FIGS. 2 and 3 is fixed to the cylinder head 26 in thecombustion chamber 34. The cupola 74 has an opening 76 which isconcentrically located adjacent to the tip 68 of the fuel-injectionnozzle 66, creating an annu Iar passage 78 for the air. Compressed airis injected into the cupola 74 at orifice 80, entering the combustionchamber through annular passage 78 and effectively mixing with theinjected fuel spray. After the charge of fuel and air is injected, themixture is ignited by an arcing spark between two electrodes 82 at theend of high voltage leads 84 and 86.

The injection process continues for a timed interval and then ceaseswhen the fuel line 64 and air supply line 72 are valved off by a timingcontrol hereinafter discussed in detail. The ignited gas mixturedevelops pressures in the combustion chamber greatly exceeding 1,000psi. in the preferred embodiment. To accommodate the high pressures andtemperatures in the combustion chamber, the inner wall of the highpressure cylinder head 26 is lined with a deposit of porous or spongymetal. This porous metal liner 88, FIG. 2, is able to withstand the hightemperatures attained in the combustion chamber. The porous metal liner88 will additionally prevent excessive thermal stressing through theyielding characteristics of the porous metal. The cylinder head 26 is ofhemispherical construction for the high strength advantages inherent insuch structural design. The free-floating piston 24 also contains aporous metal liner 90 on the surface exposed to the combustion chamber34. This liner 90 has the same advantageous characteristics as the liner88 in the cylinder head 26.

Since the cylindrical casing 22 is exposed to both the high temperaturesof the combustion chamber 34 and the low temperatures of the hydraulicchamber 36 during each complete cycle of a unit's operation, a specialliner or sleeve is required to dissipate the thermal stressing inherentfrom the thermal extremes encountered during operation.

FIG. 5 illustrates the metallic liner 92 interposed between thecylindrical casing 22 and the free-floating piston 24. The liner 92 isshown in greater detail in cross section in FIG. 6. The liner 92contains a plurality of interconnected cooling water channels 94, towhich water is circulated by supply 96 and return line 98, both shown inFIG. 2. The channels 94 run throughout the length of the liner, wherebythe circulated water maintains the cylindrical casing at a reasonablylow temperature. To further aid in cooling, the liner 92 contains aseries of thin slots 100 machined in to the internal wall of the liner.The slots 100 are uniformly spaced around the inner circumference of theliner 92. The slots are staggered longitudinally in an adjacentlyoverlapping manner as shown in FIG. 7. This arrangement avoidscontinuous passageways in bypassing relation to the free-floating pistonwhich would permit an excessive amount of water to enter the combustionchamber. Any water which is trapped in the slots 100 and enters thecombustion chamber 34 as the free-floating piston descends will bevaporized to cool the liner 92 and to add volume to the combustion gasesdischarged to the gas engine.

Additionally, slots 102 are machined in the outer surface of the liner92. The slots 102 are slightly wider than the slots 100 on the internalwall of the liner 92, and continuously run the entire length of theliner 92 since no problem of water bypass is present at the outersurface of the liner 92. The depth of the slots 102 extends slightlybeyond the depth of the adjacent slots 100 on the inner surface as shownin FIG. 6. The primary purpose of the arrangement of slots 100 and 102in the liner 92 is to provide a means for transmitting the internalpressures of the combustion pump units to the cylindrical casing 22while preventing exposure of the cylindrical casing 22 to the mechanicalstressing generated by changes in temperature during operation. Theliner 92, which is exposed to products of combustion and to radiationeffects, as the free-floating piston 24 descends during a power stroke,and to subsequent quench effects as the free-floating piston 24 rises onthe scavenge part of the cycle, absorbs the mechanical stressing by itsability to compress without changes in the liners inner or outercircumference.

Two piston guide tracks 104 are also machined at diametrically opposedpositions on the internal wall of the liner 92, as shown in FIGS. 5 and6. The guide tracks 104 run the length of the liner 92 and engageprotruding arcuate guides 106 on the free-floating piston 24, as shownin FIGS. 1, 2, and 5. The protruding arcuate guides 106 providestabilizing extensions on the free-floating piston 24, preventing anyoccurrence of tilting or of rotation of the piston 24 as it descendsduring the power stroke and rises during the scavenging part of thecycle.

Returning to a detailed consideration of FIG. 2, the high pressuresdeveloped during combustion are transmitted to the top of thefree-floating piston 24. The forces on the piston pressurize the waterin the hydraulic chamber such that hydraulic pressures exceeding 1,000p.s.i. are achieved. Regulator valve 108 is closed to prevent the highpressure water from entering a small chamber 110 which is adapted tofeed the second hydraulic turbine 16. The regulator valve 108 isspring-operated, and by adjustment of the compression of its spring 112the hydraulic pressure required to close the valve may be controlled.Adjustment is accomplished by rotation of a hex-head 114 at the end of avalve stem 116. The valve stem 1 16, which is threaded through an endbracket 118 at the base of the pump unit, has a small circular plate 121fixed to it and has a small circular plate 123 freely sliding on it,between which plates the spring 112 is compressed. The pressurized waterin hydraulic chamber 36 is pumped through a conventional check valve ina high pressure output line 122 to a fluid directing outlet which may bein the form of a specially designed discharge nozzle 124 shown in FIG.8, and which forms the subject matter of the copending application, Ser.No. 49,383, filed June 24, I970. The high pressure output line 122 foreach of the three units is connected to a single discharge line 126feeding the discharge nozzle 124. The velocity of the jet of wateremitted from the discharge nozzle 124 is regulated to a relativelyconstant value by a needle valve 128, slidably mounted in the hollownozzle portion of the discharge nozzle 124 and directed out a convergentjet orifice 130. Positioning of the needle valve 128 is responsive tothe pressure in the discharge line 126.

A hydraulic regulator 132 for the needle valve 128 comprises a piston134 connected to the distal end of the needle valve 128 contained in acylinder 136. The piston 134 is actuated in one direction to remove theneedle valve 128 away from the orifice of the discharge nozzle 124 bythe hydraulic pressure in the discharge line 126, which line isconnected to the cylinder 136 by a small hydraulic line 138. The degreeof actuation is controlled by a compression spring 140 which ismaintained in position by the outer wall of the hydraulic regulator andthe face of an adjustment screw 142 on a threaded portion of the needlevalve 128. As the pressure in the discharge line 126 drops, the force ofthe compression spring overcomes the hydraulic force on the piston 134to gradually close the needle valve 128. Although the flow of theemitted jet of water from the discharge nozzle 124 is reduced, thevelocity is maintained relatively constant until a terminal pressure isreached at which point the needle valve 128 is fully closed and thedischarge stopped. The terminal pressure can be controlled by selectionof a suitable compression spring and by proper positioning of theadjustment screw 142 on the threaded portion 144 of the needle valve128.

In the preferred embodiment herein disclosed, the first stage terminalpressure may be, for example, 1,000 p.s.i. As this first stage output issupplied by the high pressure output of the three units delivered insequential fashion, the emitted jet of water from the single highvelocity discharge nozzle 124 will be continuous, varying only in thedegree of flow discharged to the first hydraulic turbine in FIG. 1 thenozzle 124 being a variable flow-constant velocity type as describedabove.

As the combustion gases expand when the free-floating piston 24 descendsto pump water to the high pressure nozzle 124, the hydraulic pressure inthe hydraulic chamber also reaches a first terminal pressure, here againselected at 1,000 psi. At l,000 p.s.i., the spring-loaded regulatorvalve 108, FIG. 2, opens to permit the water to be pumped to the smallchamber 110 below the regulator valve 108 and then to lower pressureoutput line 146. As previously noted, once the pressure for a particularunit drops below l,000 p.s.i., the high pressure discharge nozzle 124either closes to prevent further flow from that particular unit orcontinues to remain open if sequentially it is being supplied by thenext following unit. In the latter case, check valve 120 not onlyprevents backflow but also prevents further discharge from theparticular unit in which the pressure has dropped below the firstterminal pressure.

The lower pressure output line 146 for each of the three units isconnected to a single lower pressure discharge line 148 feeding a lowerpressure discharge nozzle 150, FIG. 1, which is substantially identicalto the nozzle shown in FIG. 8. To obtain a second terminal pressuresetting, which may be, for example, 200 p.s.i., the lower pressuredischarge nonle 150 need differ only in the use of a compression springwhich will permit operation of the discharge nozzle in the L000 -200p.s.i. range. Once a particular unit reaches the second terminalpressure of 200 p.s.i. the discharge nozzle will close unless it hasbegun to discharge water supplied from the next following unit insequential operation. Once the next following unit commences its lowerpressure pumping, the back flow to the preceding unit will hydraulicallyclose a specially designed flow-operated valve 152 shown in FIGS. 2 and4.

The flow-operated valve 152 comprises a cylindrical sleeve 154 seated ona shoulder formed in the end portion of the pump unit. This sleeve hasfour ascending helically arranged slots 160 such that the lower terminalportion of one slot commences at a point directly below the upperbeginning portion of the adjacent slot. Two spring-loaded ball pins 162,which may be of the type commonly employed in socket wrenches, aremounted in the valve throat 164 so that they freely extend into twoopposed slots 160 in the sleeve 154. Two opposed vanes 166 are disposedat an angle on the inner surface of the sleeve 154.

Backflow from the lower pressure output line exerts upward and lateralforces against the vanes 166 to cause the sleeve 154 to turn and ride upthe ball pins 162 until the top of the sleeve 154 contacts the bottom ofthe poppet 168 of the regulator valve 108. In this position the ballpins 162 are located at the lower terminal portions of their respectiveslots 160. The flow-operated valve 152 in essence operates as a checkvalve. The sleeve remains in this closed position until the combustionprocess in the following cycle raises the hydraulic pressure in thehydraulic chamber 36 to a point exceeding L000 p.s.i., whereupon thespring-loaded regulator valve 108 is forced down by action of thehydraulic pressure on the poppet 168 over coming the oppositely directedforce of spring 112. The downward movement of the regulator valve 108also forces the flow-operated valve 152 down to its seating shoulder156. The spring-loaded ball pins 162 are forced to retract until thesleeve is seated, at which point they extend into the upper beginningportions of their respective slots 160.

When the second terminal pressure is reached, a springloaded controlvalve 169, FIG. 2, opens to permit water to flow through control line 56to the hydraulic actuator 48 to open exhaust valve 50. The combustionproducts which at their lowest pressure are at the second terminalpressure value expand into the exhaust discharge line 41 and are emittedfrom a separate gas discharge nozzle 171 for each unit to a single gasturbine 20. Again, the sequentially integrated cycles of the three unitsprovide a substantially continuous driving force to, in this instance,the gas turbine.

Just prior to the reaching of the second terminal pressure value in thehydraulic chamber, the downward moving freefloating piston 24 will beapproaching the bottom of its stroke. To dissipate the momentum of thedescending piston, an arresting device, as illustrated in FIG. 2 hasbeen included. The bottom of the free-floating piston 26 carries atrotuberance 170 which has integral therewith plunger 172. The plunger172 fits closely but slidably within a centrally located bore 174 of anarresting boss 176 connected to the cylindrical casing by yoke member178 which permits water to freely pass to the lower part 36a of thehydraulic chamber 36. Four tapered channels 180 are longitudinallymachined in the plunger 172, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. When the piston24 descends, the plunger 172 projects into the bore 174 forcing thetrapped water therein upwardly through the tapered channels 180. Thehydraulic pressure of the trapped water increases rapidly as theeffective area of the channels 180 decreases to the discharge of water.The increasing hydraulic pressure opposes piston momentum tohydraulically snub the piston downstroke and bring the piston to a fullstop without severe impact of the plunger 172 with the bottom 174a ofthe bore 174. A small drain opening 182 is drilled through the bottom1740 of the bore 174 to provide a flow of water at the end of eachstroke and in this manner keep debris and sediment flowing out of thebore 174.

Sequential operation of the three pumping units is controlled by thetiming device and fuel-air regulator shown in FIG. 9. Fuel from areservoir 184 is pumped at high pressure by a hydraulic pump 186 locatedin a fuel supply line 188 for the three units. The fuel supply line 188branches into individual feeder lines 190a, b, and c, for each of theunits. Pressure-operated flow regulator valves 192a, b, and c, areincluded in each of the feeder lines 190 to control the amount of fuelsupplied during each cycle of a unit. Air is supplied from an aircylinder 194 which is pumped to a high pressure by a compressor 196. Anair supply line 198 branches into three feeder lines 200 a, b, and c,which areindividually controlled by flow regulator valves 202 a, b andc. The flow control valves 192 and 202 for fuel and air supply to theunits are operated by pneumatic pressure from a control cylinder 204.Pressure in the control cylinder which regulates the degree of flow ineach of the flow regulator valves 192 and 202 is regulated by a mastercontrol lever 206. The master control lever 206 is variably positionableby a detent rack 208, and, by rotation of a cam 210 asymmetricallypivoted on a pivot pin 212, will vary the compressive force of a spring214. The spring 214 engages a pivot link 216 which swingably responds tothe cam action of the master control lever 206. The opposite end of thespring 214 is connected to a pressure control valve 218. An offsettingforce developed by a feedback pressure from bleeder line 222 runningfrom control cylinder 204 to a control diaphragm 224 regulates thepressure control valve so that the desired pressure is maintained in thecontrol cylinder 204 by a compressor 226.

Sequential timing is regulated by a rotating distributor cam 228 whichis gear-driven by motor 232. Equidistantly positioned around theperiphery of the distributor cam 228 are three piston-operated airvalves 234 a, b and c. Considering exemplar air valve 2340 in detail, apivotally mounted cam follower 236 is linked to the piston 238 in theair valve 234;. When the raised portion 240 of the distributor cam 228engages the cam follower 236, which is held against the distributor cam228 by a compression spring 242, the valve piston 238 is depressed topermit compressed air to flow from the control cylinder 204 to thepressure operated flow regulator valves 192a and 2020 and controls thesupply of fuel and air, in this instance, to unit 3. The rate of air andfuel supplied to unit 3 is regulated by the selected pressure in thecontrol cylinder 204 which is transmitted to the flow regulator valves192 and 2020. Once the raised portion 240 of the distributor cam passes,injection of fuel and air to the combustion chamber of the particularunit ceases. Each of the other two piston-operated air valves, 234a andb, operates in an identical manner to actuate and regulate the flowregulation valves 192a and b, and 202c and b for units 1 and 2,respectively.

After a charge of fuel and air has been injected into the combustionchamber, during engagement of the raised portion 240 of the distributorcam 228 with the cam follower 236, the raised portion 240 of the cam 228then engages and closes a set of spring-loaded ignition points 246 toignite the injected charge. A high voltage potential is connectedthrough the set of ignition points 246 to the electrodes 82, FIG. 2, byhigh voltage lead 84. As the distributor cam rotates, each unit isfueled and fired in timed sequence in like manner.

The sequential operation of the three unit pump system is shown in FIG.10. First considering unit 1, remaining combustion gases are scavengedby the rising piston in the scavenge step. The charge is fired onclosure of the set of ignition points by the distributor cam to raisethe pressure of the water in the hydraulic chamber and pump water to thehigh pressure turbine in first stage output. The duration of highpressure pumping may be controlled by variation in the amount ofinjected fuel and air, or by variation in the velocityflow relationshipof water emitted from the high pressure discharge nozzle. As thefree-floating piston descends in the cylinder casing, there is aresultant expansion of the gases. During this procedure, a firstterminal pressure is reached, at which point pumping to the highpressure turbines ceases and pumping to the low pressure turbinecommences in second stage output. Duration of second stage output may bealso controlled by variation in the amount of initially injected fueland air, or by variation in the velocity-flow relationship of wateremitted from the low pressure discharge nozzle. As the water leveldecreases with an accompanying drop in pressure, a second terminalpressure is reached, at which point pumping to the low pressure turbineceases and the exhaust valve is opened to deliver the combustionproducts to the gas turbine for third stage output. When the combustionproducts have been delivered for the most part to the gas turbine. thescavenging step is again initiated.

The steps for unit 2 are identical, with timed injection of fuel and aircommencing immediately after the scavenging step. Unit 3 follows in asimilar manner, whereupon, on completion of the scavenging step, unit 1is again ready to commence fuel and air injection. The sequentialoperation of the three combined units delivers a substantiallycontinuous output to each of the three turbines powering the generator.

What is claimed is:

1. in combination:

a combustion pump system having a multistaged discharge for the pumpingof liquids therefrom in accordance with predetermined levels of pressureapplying to such liquids, said system comprising a plurality of casings,each having a liquid output line at each of a plurality of liquiddischarge stations, the output lines for each group of correspondingdischarge stations being interconnected to form a single liquiddischarge line for each such group of stations, each of said casingshaving a free piston slidably disposed therein for reciprocal movementbetween an upper combustion chamber and a lower hydraulic chamberdefined by said casing, a liquid input line connected to each hydraulicchamber to admit liquid into said chamber and thereby raise the freepiston therein towards its associated combustion chamber, said outputlines being connected to the hydraulic chambers, means for introducing afuel-air mixture into each combustion chamber and for igniting the sametherein to drive the piston downwardly and discharge liquid from thehydraulic chamber, means including valve means for the selectivedischarge of said liquids to first one of said output lines and then theother of said output lines responsive to the hydraulic pressurecondition of said liquid, and control means for sequentially integratingthe reciprocal movement cycles of said pistons to provide asubstantially continuous liquid output to each discharge line for each10 group of discharge stations;

a plurality of turbine rotor means comprising drive nozzles, one suchturbine rotor means and nozzle being provided for each group ofdischarge stations, the discharge line for each group of dischargestations being connected to one of the nozzles to deliver liquidtherethrough and thereby drive the associated turbine rotor means, saidturbine rotor means being united to form a multistage turbine rotormeans through common output drive means; and

a gas turbine comprising a plurality of gas discharge nozzles to drivethe same, there being one such nozzle for each combustion chamber, andan exhaust line for each combustion chamber interconnecting the samewith one of said gas discharge nozzles.

2. A combustion pump and turbine combination for powering an electricgenerator and the like comprising: at least one chamber unit having ahigh pressure cylindrical casing containing a free piston slidabletherein; an hydraulic chamber defined by the bottom of the free piston,the cylindrical casing, and a hemispherical lower portion of the casing,wherein a liquid to be pumped is admitted through an input lineconnected to said hydraulic chamber, said liquid being supplied underpressure sufficient to hydraulically raise the free piston; a combustionchamber defined by the top of the free piston, the cylindrical casing,and a hemispherical top portion of the casing, wherein a compressedmixture of fuel and air is admitted and by ignition means i nited,whereby the liquid is pumped at high pressure out a lrst output line andthereafter at a lower pressure out a second output line and thereafterat a lower pressure out a second output line connected to said hydraulicchamber, said pumping being generated by action of the forced descent ofthe free piston in the cylindrical casing; a first turbine rotor meanspowered by liquid discharge from the first output line until thepressure in said hydraulic chamber reaches a lower, first terminalpressure; a second turbine rotor means powered by liquid discharge fromthe second output line at a pressure below the said first terminalpressure until the pressure in the said hydraulic chamber reaches alower, second terminal pressure; a gas turbine powered by the productsof combustion which are exhausted from said unit when said secondterminal pressure is reached; valve means to selectively control thepumping of liquid to power the respective turbine rotor means, and valvemeans controlling the admission, combustion and exhaust of the mixtureof fuel and air and resulting combustion products into and from thecombustion chamber.

1. In combination: a combustion pump system having a multistageddischarge for the pumping of liquids therefrom in accordance withpredetermined levels of pressure applying to such liquids, said systemcomprising a plurality of casings, each having a liquid output line ateach of a plurality of liquid discharge stations, the output lines foreach group of corresponding discharge stations being interconnected toform a single liquid discharge line for each such group of stations,each of said casings having a free piston slidably disposed therein forreciprocal movement between an upper combustion chamber and a lowerhydraulic chamber defined by said casing, a liquid input line connectedto each hydraulic chamber to admit liquid into said chamber and therebyraise the free piston therein towards its associated combustion chamber,said output lines being connected to the hydraulic chambers, means forintroducing a fuel-air mixture into each combustion chamber and forigniting the same therein to drive the piston downwardly and dischargeliquid from the hydraulic chamber, means including valve means for theselective discharge of said liquids to first one of said output linesand then the other of said output lines responsive to the hydraulicpressure condition of said liquid, and control means for sequentiallyintegrating the reciprocal movement cycles of said pistons to provide asubstantially continuous liquid output to each discharge line for eachgroup of discharge stations; a plurality of turbine rotor meanscomprising drive nozzles, one such turbine rotor means and nozzle beingprovided for each group of discharge stations, the discharge line foreach group of discharge stations being connected to one of the nozzlesto deliver liquid therethrough and thereby drive the associated turbinerotor means, said turbine rotor means being united to form a multistageturbine rotor means through common output drive means; and a gas turbinecomprising a plurality of gas discharge nozzles to drive the same, therebeing one such nozzle for each combustion chamber, and an exhaust linefor each combustion chamber interconnecting the same with one of saidgas discharge nozzles.
 2. A combustion pump and turbine combination forpowering an electric generator and the like comprising: at least onechamBer unit having a high pressure cylindrical casing containing a freepiston slidable therein; an hydraulic chamber defined by the bottom ofthe free piston, the cylindrical casing, and a hemispherical lowerportion of the casing, wherein a liquid to be pumped is admitted throughan input line connected to said hydraulic chamber, said liquid beingsupplied under pressure sufficient to hydraulically raise the freepiston; a combustion chamber defined by the top of the free piston, thecylindrical casing, and a hemispherical top portion of the casing,wherein a compressed mixture of fuel and air is admitted and by ignitionmeans ignited, whereby the liquid is pumped at high pressure out a firstoutput line and thereafter at a lower pressure out a second output lineconnected to said hydraulic chamber, said pumping being generated byaction of the forced descent of the free piston in the cylindricalcasing; a first turbine rotor means powered by liquid discharge from thefirst output line until the pressure in said hydraulic chamber reaches alower, first terminal pressure; a second turbine rotor means powered byliquid discharge from the second output line at a pressure below thesaid first terminal pressure until the pressure in the said hydraulicchamber reaches a lower, second terminal pressure; a gas turbine poweredby the products of combustion which are exhausted from said unit whensaid second terminal pressure is reached; valve means to selectivelycontrol the pumping of liquid to power the respective turbine rotormeans, and valve means controlling the admission, combustion and exhaustof the mixture of fuel and air and resulting combustion products intoand from the combustion chamber.